Butterfly Effect: Branded
by TheAngelofFate
Summary: Imagine the Pines brothers when fighting over Ford's last Journal. Imagine Ford kicking Stan into the blazing hot console. Imagine Stan crying out in pain as the symbol gets branded into his skin forever. Imagine all that. But what if Stanley doesn't punch Ford in the face? Can one little change effect their future and their relationship? {No stancest, Please Read&Review)


Just a random Gravity Falls fanfic that I decided to write.

* * *

"No! You don't understand!" Why was this happening? This wasn't how things were suppose to end up. He wasn't suppose end up fighting with his brother again, it was simple. Give Stanley his last journal, the very first one he wrote, and send him off to go hide it where no one, not even Bill would be able to find it. It was simple, Ford had thought this through countless times, planned out every detail, and yet that's obviously not how it was going down.

 _Why can't he just listen to me for once in his life!_ He wants the book hidden not destroyed. He's worked too hard for it to be lost forever.

"You said you wanted me to have it, so I'll do what I want with it!"

 _I didn't give it to you for you to destroy it and everything I've accomplished!_ Stanford exclaimed in his head as he watched in horror as his twin brought his lit lighter underneath his journal. "My research!" He cried out thoughts shattered about as his body moved on its own in a desperate attempt to stop Stan for burning his life's work. The two went tumbling to the ground with Ford landing on top of his twin.

Out of the corner of his eye, Stanford saw Journal 1 fall to the ground and made a mad dash for it only to be tripped by Stanley and falling flat on his face. Stan grabbed the book and made a run for the door. Fury blazed into Ford's soul at the sight. Why did his twin have to ruin everything he wanted to achieve!?

"Stanley! Give it back!" Anger crystal clear in his voice as he body slammed into Ley, tripping into the console room Ford pushed his brother up against one of the machines and grabbed for it. "You want it back you're gonna have to try harder then that!" Stay growled in rage, his eyes dilated as he push back against Stanford so hard he fell onto his back.

"You left me behind, you _jerk_! It was suppose to be us forever! You ruined my _life_!" Stan shouted his voice gruffer the usual with a mix of fury and hurt as the two played a hostile game of tug-a-war with the journal.

"You ruined you're own life!" Stanford shouted back. His brother's accusation, pushed Ford over the edge. Raising his leg up, he kicked Ley in the chest hard, causing his twin to let go of his research in surprise. Ford was just about to rejoice—

"AHHHHHHH!" Stanley screamed in agony. Opening his eyes, he saw to his utter shock that he had kicked Ley right into the consoles blazing hot symbol, Ford pulled his leg back immediately. His rage was replaced by guilt in a matter of two seconds. His state of mind returned. "Stanley!" He cried out as he gazed his twin, who was laying on the floor clinching his injured with his left hand. This isn't what he wanted, he never intended for Stan to get hurt because of him, that was the last thing he ever wanted! God, what has he done? What did he do to Stanley!?

Getting up quickly, Ford was fast to let out apologies. "Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry! Are you alright!?" He asked frantically as he clinched his journal in his hands. But Stan didn't give a response, he just laid there on the ground curled in a ball. "Stan?" Ford said waiting several minutes for his twin to give him something to indicate that he was alright. Hell, Ford would even be alright with a punch in the face. But none came. His heart started to beat rapidly in his chest, now he was scared. Kneeling down, he gently placed his hand on his brother's arm and rolled him just slightly so he could see his face. Stan's eyes were closed, his face slack. The seer pain caused by the burning console had caused Stanley to pass out the moment it touched his skin.

Ford gulped. _Keep calm, keep calm._ He told himself. _Check the injured._ Gently rolling Stan on to his stomach, Stanford got a good look at Ley's burn. "Oh god..." This... This was more then just a simple burn. The symbol on the console was imprinted on his twin's shoulder. He, Stanford had branded his own brother. Had hurt him beyond repair, because this was never going to go away. It would stay as a reminder of what Ford—

A lump grew in his throat at the shame and guilt he was feeling. It crushed him. _What have I done! What have I done!?_ Has he really gone that insane that he wouldn't even consider that he might hurt his twin if he got him involved with his past mistakes and regrets? Was he really so childish that he let his own anger take control of him and blind him. And for what? His research? What good had his life's work done for the world except bring it's possibly doom.

Realizing that he needed to treat the burn, Ford stood up, gently and carefully as he could he lifted Stan onto his feet and brought his brother good arm around his shoulders, while his wrapped around his waist. He walked out of the portal room, down the hall and into the elevator, soon he was in the main part of his cluttered house. Stanley let out a whimper of pain, which caused Ford to quicken his steps as he went upstairs, he laid his twin on his stomach in the very dusty spare bed that once belong to his friend Fiddleford before he quit a couple months ago.

Pacing back and forth, Ford regrettably realized that he didn't have anything to treat Stan's burn. Not even burn cream. He cursed loudly, and it was snow storming too hard for him to go out and get the items he needed. And no way was he going to just leave Ley here on his own. Out of options, he decided to try his best to clean the brand mark with cold water and a wash cloth. Peeling off his twins jacket, he noticed the burn was already starting to get infected, thick sores and puss crusted the inner areas. The sight of it made Stanford want to vomit, but he forced himself to get on with it.

Stanley let out a ragged shout of agony the moment Ford swiped the cloth over his burn. Instantly Ley tried to move away from the thing that was causing him pain. Which caused Ford to press his hand on Stan's lower back to keep him from moving. "Shh, Stan. It's okay. Please, _please_ stop moving. I have to clean this, it'll be over soon. I promise..." Ford said in a attempt to smooth his brother's struggles.

The sores popped one by one, each was more painful then the last and Stan was out right sobbing now, clinching the dusty white sheets with his hands. "Ahh! URGH! AAAhhh! F–Ford! _**Stanford**_! _Help_!" His voice echoed around the room.

Tears fell down Ford's cheeks freely as he recalled that Stan had basically told him his life the last ten years was horribly, if not deadly. How many times, he wondered. How many times had Ley been in this position, how many times had he cried out for Ford to help him? Only for it to never come? The guilt took over him again, he should have been there! Been there more for Stan! Why hadn't he?

His hands were shaking as rubbed the cloth a crossed the brand. Never in his life has he heard Stan in so much pain before. It was agonizing, it broke his heart, because this was all his fault. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry. _Stanley_... Sorry, sorry, sorry..." Ford sobbed his own broken voice mixed with his twin's as he finally stopped and inspected the burn. The redness had gone done some, and there were still a lot of sores, but it looked a little better the when it had did before.

Letting out a choke sob of relief, Ford wiped at his tears and reset the cloth and tapped it onto Stanley's shoulder to keep it in place, wanting to give Stan and himself some physical contact that wasn't painful, Ford ran his hand through his brother's long brown hair, and cried with Stanley as he laid his head on his twin's lower arm.

And fell asleep in a matter of minutes.

He was awaken soon by the sensation of something hot on his forehead. Opening his eyes, Ford realized that it was Stan's own body that was the cause of the intense heat. His brother was sweating, his face was flushed and he was letting out short, shallow gasps of breathe. Not needing a thermometer in the least to know that Stanley was running a high fever. The overwhelming stress please upon on him today had brought was way too much for Ley too handle.

Remembering that their mother would give them cold baths to bring their fevers down as children, Ford decided that was Stan's best option to keep from over heating. Gently, Ford stood up and carried his brother to the bathroom.

Getting Stanley in the bath proved to be more difficult then anyone would think for a man in that weak of state. His brother refused to get in the tub, struggling with strength that baffled Stanford. He tried to soothe his twin by rubbing a hand a crossed his neck. "Shh, shh, shh." He soothed in a gently voice. "It's okay, buddy. This is going to help bring your fever down." But none of his tactics had any effect in calming Stanley down.

And because Stan's struggles, Ford couldn't turn on the faucet. Trying to calm himself to keep from snapping, he decided that it might be easier to run the shower instead. Swinging his legs over the sides, Ford brought Stan with him inside, and kept him on his feet with one arm as he turned the shower on.

The freezing, cold water sprayed them gently, but his younger twin still wrestled against it, letting out a moan of discomfort.

"Dammit, Stanley! That's _enough_!" He growled out in utter frustration, shocking himself immediately on how much he sounded like their father. Apparently, his twin noticed it too, even in Stan's unconscious state. For Ley let out a broken whimper. Tears fell down his cheeks and mixed with the water from the shower that was soaking them to the bone as he shied away from his smarter twin.

The sight broke Ford's soul in two, he spun the other around and hugged him tightly.

"No, no, _Stanley_! I'm sorry, I'm so sorry I yelled at you! I _didn't_ mean it!" And he didn't, Ford didn't mean to make Stan cry, he didn't mean hurt him to go through so much pain. His lip trembled as he tightened his embrace, gripping his brother's white T-shirt. Placing a chaste kiss and his brother burning temple. Realizing this was the first time he's hugged his twin in over _ten years_ , a sob escaped his lips.

"I just want you to get better! I want to help you! I know that I haven't been there for you in the last ten years but that never meant I... That I still don't love you. I don't care about what happened to us in the past anymore, I don't care that you cost me my dream school, I don't care that you broke my project. _I don't care!_ — I've missed you so much, Ley. I always hide it away, but I have missed you. And I just want to help you!"

Stanford was crying by this time, his knees going weak and he fell to the tub floor and brought Stan with him. "Please, _please_ let me help you!" In his hysteria, Ford hadn't realized that Stan was hugging him back until he felt weak, shaky arms grasp his trench coat.

"Sm'ixer... S'okay..." Stan's gruff, hoarse voice spoke out in a comforting manner. "—issed you... —ove you.." Relief washed over him as he noticed that this was the first time Stan spoke out without it being wrecked with pain. His brother's body was no longer hot and his fever seemed to have broken whilst Ford was had been talking. His burn was no longer a crimson red around the edges. And Stanley did looked more aware of himself the he had previously. Was this a sign? A sign of Stanley getting better? He hoped so.

"You're going to be fine, Stan. I'm gonna be here for you, it'll be just you and me. Like it was when we were kids."

Stan gave a slight, weak nod. "M'tired, Ford..."

Ford smiled. And gently he laid down in the tub with the shower still running full blast, and propped his twin and himself on the side and held on to his brother. "Then sleep, brother. I'll still be here when you wake up. I promise, Stan. I won't ever abandon you ever again." Stanley let a small smile grace his face as he hugged Ford back and fell asleep almost instantly.

Chuckling lightly, Stanford shifted to get more comfortable before he too fell asleep, holding on tightly to the twin he vowed to protect from here on out.

* * *

I have no idea where the hell this came from but I regret nothing! I had such a hard time writing the scene where Ford was cleaning Stan's burning, I actually started to get teary eyed myself. I can't imagine how hard that really must have been for Stan to do in canon all on his own.

Anyway, a nickel for your always appreciated thoughts?

Please tell me what you all thought of this little Drabble in a review


End file.
